Dodgers Beat Marlins, Avoid Sweep

There's nothing flashy about Brian Bohanon. No longer does the left-hander overpower batters. He says the diminished velocity has made him a pitcher instead of a thrower.

Bohanon

Bohanon (6-7), the Dodgers' best starter since being acquired July 10 in a trade with the New York Mets, gave up two runs on four hits in eight innings. He had been stranded in the Mets bullpen until the trade made him a starter.

"I'm not going to strike out very many guys," he said. "If I start walking people, we can get in trouble. If I get in a jam, I have to rely on the double play and just making good pitches to get out of it."

In fact, Bohanon struck out none while walking two. But the Dodgers helped him by turning a double play in the third and he helped himself by getting 17 outs on grounders.

"He pitched a great ballgame, nothing fancy, just here it is," Marlins manager Jim Leyland said. "He got quick outs, which kept his defense sharp."

Bohanon had allowed one earned run in each of his previous six starts for the Dodgers.

"What I try to do is just go out there and keep the team in it," he said. "It's not great stuff, but it's good stuff."

Jeff Shaw pitched the ninth for his 35th save.

Beltre's third homer to left field came on the first pitch from Brian Meadows (9-9) in the fourth inning giving the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. They had lost the first two games of the series, including a one-run defeat Wednesday night.

"We've got to battle for each win," Dodgers manager Glenn Hoffman said. "It's not easy."

Los Angeles scored three runs in the second on RBI singles by Charles Johnson and Eric Young, while Matt Luke scored on a wild pitch.

The Marlins' runs came on Mark Kotsay's two-out RBI single in the third and Derrek Lee's RBI grounder in the sixth when they trailed 5-2.

Meadows gave up five runs on eight hits in four innings. The 22-year-old rookie came off the 15-day disabled list earlier Thursday to make the start. He had been on the DL since July 28 with a right groin strain.

"He didn't have much at all, and what he did have was up," Leyland said.

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